In the age of ever increasing environmental awareness, combined with the increasing cost of fossil fuels, geothermal heating and cooling systems are becoming the HVAC system of choice for new homes or structures, as well as for the replacement of existing systems.
Geothermal systems comprise a water source heat pump for heating and cooling. A basic heat pump works on the principle of moving heat from one place to another, hence the name. In the case of a geothermal heat pump, ground water or a liquid which is circulated through a series of pipes installed in the ground, lake, or pond is pumped through a heat exchanger in the geothermal heat pump, transferring energy to a refrigerant. The refrigerant absorbs energy from the fluid and changes state from a liquid to a gas. The refrigerant gas is pressurized by a compressor creating a higher temperature, which is then circulated through a coil via a fan, and ducts distribute the heat to the home or structure. For cooling, the process is reversed; excess heat is drawn from the home or structure, ejected to the ground water or ground loop via the geothermal heat pump.
Consequently, a myriad of components are necessary to run these cycles, and these components take up a lot of space. A geothermal unit is quite different from a typical furnace that simply heats air via burning fuel such as propane or natural gas. A benefit of the gas furnace, however, is that it requires less space. Moreover, the air conditioning portion of a conventional home HVAC system is a separate unit located outside. The result is that most conventional HVAC systems can be installed in relatively confined mechanical rooms. Although furnace size can differ, as a point of reference for illustrative purposes, a conventional home furnace measures about 18 to 22 inches wide by 28 to 29 inches deep, and 42 to 48 inches high. In contrast, a typical home geothermal unit is illustratively 22 to 26 inches wide, plus an additional 12 inches for ductwork, 24 to 32 inches deep, and 38 to 50 inches high. As a consequence, unless the mechanical room happens to have ample space, retrofitting a geothermal unit in a space previously occupied by a gas furnace can be difficult and often impossible. This can weigh heavily on an existing home's ability to become more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
Setting aside furnace retrofits, another issue with geothermal units is their inability to adapt to certain duct inlet and outlet locations. For example, the configuration of the home or other structure may require an inlet return air duct attach to the side of the geothermal unit, whereas the outlet duct attach at the top. In other instances, the inlet may be on the side, and the outlet on the bottom. A consequence of this is that many different configurations of geothermal units need to be manufactured and stocked to accommodate the wide variety of inlet and outlet possibilities. Current manufacturers and distributors must stock a multitude of water source heat pumps in various capacities and at least 5 different airflow configurations in each capacity. These air flow configurations include a left return top outlet system, a right return top outlet system, a left return bottom outlet system, a right return bottom outlet system, and occasionally a “split” system where the air handling section is separate from the compressor/heat exchanger section. Needless to say, this translates into increased manufacturing and distribution costs.
A large number of furnaces and air handlers are also installed in closets in the interior of a home or structure. If currently manufactured geothermal heat pumps are to be installed in a closet, air must enter from the left or right side. In many cases, there is not enough room in the closet to install the system. Furthermore, geothermal units do not have straight vertical pass-through capabilities. Many conventional heating and cooling systems are based on a “straight through” airflow configuration, where return air enters the unit from the top or bottom of the unit and exits through the opposite end. In other words, intake air will go straight through the system. This hampers the variety of duct inlet and outlet positions capable of accepting the geothermal heat pump. This also exacerbates the potential for use as a furnace retrofit, since many furnaces have such a capability.
In contrast, an illustrative modular water source geothermal heat pump of the present disclosure requires less space, reduces manufacturing and distribution costs, and is less difficult to install versus existing conventional left or right air intake/top or bottom outlet style geothermal heat pumps. Illustratively, this new modular water source geothermal heat pump assembly comprises separate components each connectable in various configurations that varies the locations of the air intakes and outlets, otherwise not found in conventional geothermal heat pump units. An embodiment of the assembly comprises independent fan, compressor, and coil modules. The fan module includes the air intake that provides air to the other modules. This fan module can be oriented in a variety of ways thereby positioning the air intake in a variety of locations to accommodate the requirements of the mechanical room and ductwork configurations. The compressor module creates heated or chilled refrigerant. The compressor module also includes a pass-through so moving air from the fan module can pass through to another module. The coil module receives the heated or chilled refrigerant through a coil that is exposed to the moving air from the fan module. Thermodynamic heat transfers between the coil and the moving the air, heating or cooling which exits the coil module into duct work.
In an illustrative embodiment, the compressor module can be positioned in a variety of locations relative to the fan module to accommodate the needs of the mechanical room and the coil module. For example, the compressor module can be located at the side of the fan module, above it, or below it. The compressor module creates heated or chilled refrigerant, and air supply ducting connects to the fan module allowing air from the fan module to pass through into the compressor module.
The coil module receives flowing air from the fan module, and heated or chilled refrigerant from the compressor module. The refrigerant is directed into a coil in the fan module and the air passes through that coil and exits through an outlet and into the ducting. The coil module is configurable so that the outlet can be positioned at the top or sides of the module as needed.
Modularization allows additional permutations of connecting the modules together. For example, another embodiment connects the fan and coil modules together directly and the compressor module is spaced apart, i.e., a “split system.” The separated compressor module is tethered using tubing directing the heated or chilled refrigerant to the coil. This arrangement allows further flexibility in how the water source geothermal heat pump assembly is customized for the particular purpose. Another illustrative embodiment includes a monolithic heat pump unit that includes the fan/compressor/coil components inside a single unit.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a modular water source geothermal heat pump unit is provided. The water source geothermal heat pump unit comprises a fan module, a compressor module, and a coil module. The compressor module is located between the fan and coil modules. The fan module also has an air inlet and the coil module also has an air outlet.
The above and other illustrative embodiments of the water source geothermal heat pump unit may further comprise: the fan module being separable from the compressor module which is separable from the coil module; the fan module including a fan that moves air out of the fan module and into a chute in the compressor module; air in the compressor module exits and enters the coil module which further comprises a coil, wherein the air passes through the coil and exits the outlet; the compressor module further comprising a compressor which creates heated or chilled refrigerant, and wherein the heated or chilled refrigerant being distributed to the coil in the coil module; each of the modules being selectively separable from one another and reconnectable in a different configuration; and each module further comprising a separate flooring.
Another illustrative embodiment of the water source geothermal heat pump unit comprises an enclosure having a first opening configured to receive air. There is also a second opening axially opposed to and distal from the first opening to exhaust the air. A fan located adjacent the first opening. The fan draws air and moves it from the first opening, and directs it toward the second opening. A compressor creates heated or chilled refrigerant. A coil is located adjacent the second opening. A chute is located adjacent the compressor and between the fan and the coil. The coil is configured to receive and circulate the heat or chilled refrigerant from the compressor. The moving air from the fan passes through the chute, through the coil, and exhausts from the second opening.
The above and other illustrative embodiments of the water source geothermal heat pump unit may further comprise: the coil being an A-frame coil; and the compressor being located between the fan and the coil.
Another illustrative embodiment of the water source geothermal heat pump unit comprises a fan module comprising a housing and a fan having a fan outlet. The fan outlet is located on the housing's periphery such that air can be moved exterior of the fan module. A compressor module is in communication with the fan module such that air exiting the fan module enters and exits the compressor module. A coil module is in communication with the compressor module wherein air from the compressor module enters the coil module, passes a coil, and then exits through an opening in the coil module.
The above and other illustrative embodiments of the geothermal heat pump unit may farther comprise: each module being separable from each other; each module comprising a floor portion and ceiling portion; the coil being an A-frame coil; the fan module having an air inlet, and the coil module has an air outlet that is opposed to the air inlet; the fan module comprising a plurality of cover panels that are each removable, wherein the fan module being configured to receive an air inlet at any one of its sides; and the coil module comprising a plurality cover panels that are each removable, wherein the coil module is configured to receive an air outlet on any one of its sides, or its top.
Additional features and advantages of the various embodiments of the water source geothermal heat pump units will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrated embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the several embodiments heat pump as presently perceived.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract, background, and summary is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, those skilled in the art, and the public at large (including those whom are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology or necessarily versed in the relevant art) to determine from a cursory inspection the nature of the subject matter in this disclosure. Neither the abstract, background, or summary limits the scope of any claimed invention. Rather, this is measured by the claims.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the water source geothermal heat pump, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the water source geothermal heat pump in any manner.